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Foreverything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans

Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome

From Numbers 16:

Then Datan (Dathan) and Aviram (Abiram) came out and stood at the entrance to their tents with their wives, sons and little ones. 28Moshe (Moses) said, “Here is how you will know that Adonai has sent me to do all these things and that I haven’t done them out of my own ambition: 29if these men die a natural death like other people, only sharing the fate common to all humanity, then Adonai has not sent me. 30But if Adonai does something new — if the ground opens up and swallows them with everything they own, and they go down alive to Sh’ol — then you will understand that these men have had contempt for Adonai.”

31The moment he finished speaking, the ground under them split apart — 32the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all the people who had sided with Korach (Korah)and everything they owned. 33So they and everything they owned went down alive into Sh’ol, the earth closed over them and their existence in the community ceased. 34All Isra’el around them fled at their shrieks, shouting, “The earth might swallow us too!” 35Then fire came out from Adonai and destroyed the 250 men who had offered the incense.

English names for Hebrews are in parentheses placed there by this author

It is a fearful thing to disrespect God. This fear is a mix of knowledge, awareness and respect for authority. It is wisdom.

The fear of Adonai is the beginning of knowledge,but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7

A knowledge of the capability, the consequences, an awareness of the danger that is potential and real, a respect for the nature of anything will give way to wisdom in how that entity is approached.

Working with raw glass is a prime example. Raw glass when mishandled can cause deadly harm. There is a wise, correct way to handle it. There are precautions to take, safety gear to wear and safety measures to follow. Those who do not use wisdom with what they have been taught and proceed with an attitude that they know better, are stronger or bigger than those who gave the instructions are often injured; some of them become drastically impaired if they live.

Knowledge of who God is and what He does was available to these men. They were lacking in wisdom to use that knowledge and live wisely. Fear of God is missing. It is replaced with arrogance and confidence in self. Lack of respect placed them in a position of peril. Paul advises the believer to know God and live wisely. (Ephesians 5:15) This event is recorded for the benefit of all who profess a belief in God, develop a relationship with Him through Christ, and take advantage of the grace offered. Those in this event did none of the above. They had knowledge but self had risen above God and hindered their spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear. They were deceived and it cost them.

The same is true today. Those who are deceived are subject to God’s judgment. It may not come in the form of the earth opening up and swallowing them but it does come in other ways. There are plenty of testimonies available sharing that those whose eyes and ears were opened were able to be freed from the deception.

God is holy, will not be mocked or disrespected, but is also long-suffering and merciful. It is great to be living in the days of grace, having knowledge of Jesus so abundantly available.

Pray – May we bring You praise. May we speak as one whose eyes have been opened; as one who hears God’s words; who sees what Shaddai sees, who has fallen, yet has open eyes. Numbers 24:3

Repent – I repent for those times I did not speak the words you gave, O God. I repent for those who refuse to see or hear your words.

Ask – That spirit that confuses your people; that one who hinders your words from being heard or seen, may you destroy that one. I will call on God and Adonai will save us. He redeems us and gives us peace. Psalms 55

Yes – I will praise you forever for what you have done, and I will put my hope in your name; for this is good in the presence of your faithful. Psalm 52:1

Foreverything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans

Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome

From Ephesians:

8For you used to be darkness; but now, united with the Lord, you are light. Live like children of light, 9for the fruit of the light is in every kind of goodness, rightness and truth — 10try to determine what will please the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the deeds produced by darkness, but instead expose them, 12for it is shameful even to speak of the things these people do in secret. 13But everything exposed to the light is revealed clearly for what it is, 14since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says,

“Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead,

and the Messiah will shine on you!”

15Therefore, pay careful attention to how you conduct your life — live wisely, not unwisely. 16Use your time well, for these are evil days. 17So don’t be foolish, but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.

Children of darkness, now children of light, have characteristics that define them. One, they are united with Christ, so they are filled up with Him; in their words getting up and going down He is seen. They live differently than before. They seek to please the Lord. This is so different from seeking an experience. Children of darkness seek experience through alcohol, drugs, sensual activities; not any different from the worshipers of idols in ancient days. Seeking after experience for the feel good is missing the mark. Two, children of light seek the Giver who brings an experience; the experience doesn’t have to be sought after. Seeking experiences leads to experience that is self-driven, contrived, and the same elements are used that are used by the agents of darkness. Lights, music, loud; overwhelming the senses; working the crowd…the agents bombard the worshiper, whipping them into a release then leaving them spent; wrung out like a wet rag.

Rather than making the experience king; get to know the Giver of the experience. This is a subtle image of what worshiping the creation rather than the Creator looks like. Worshiping the creating of experiential events rather than the Lord of all gives false euphoria that vanishes in the wind. It isn’t soul food; it’s whipped cream.

“Pay careful attention to how you conduct your life.” Begin to willfully come into agreement with Jesus and become a giver not a getter. “Use your time well; live wisely not unwisely.” Don’t be foolish; whipped cream is good but lacks in health giving nutrients. It is a treat not a meal. “Try to understand what the will of the Lord is.” This requires meat that is found in Scripture. The how-to’s and elements of a strong foundation are found here allowing one to begin to know the Giver and better able to identify genuine and counterfeit. Become givers; of time spent alone, without distractions in Scripture, getting to know Him, time spent with teachers of the Word who have spent time studying its precepts, and become givers of love shown in actions and words towards others. Become givers of self and self-will to God and His will.

Pray – I want to know You, really know who You are and what You do. I enjoy whipped cream experience but I realize I need meat and vegetables to live the life of light.

Repent – My Father, please help me to be on my guard; stand firm in the faith; be a person of courage; be strong and do everything in love. I repent for seeking after illusions of you at the expense of my time spent communing with You.

Ask – Lord, the Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (1 Timothy 4:1) Please, Heavenly Father, help me to stand firm in the faith and not be deceived in a time of growing deception.

Yes – Yes, keep this book of God’s law on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed. ( Joshua 1:8) I will keep Your Word in my heart and on my lips. I will not be discouraged by the evil around me, rather my focus will remain on what You do, who You are and therefore who I am in You and what I can do through You.

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans

Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome.

Genesis 42:21

21 Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.”

Do we honestly think we are immune? It is time to break the silence…Germany paid dearly for their silence…

Luke 10:29-37

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead.

31 “Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 “Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

33 “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 “So he went to [him] and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 “On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave [them] to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

36 “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

The following excerpt is included because it is a battle cry to action.

“God specifically tells us:

“When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help . . . don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him – don’t keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him; open your purse; lend whatever and as much as he needs. . . . Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God’s blessing in everything you do – all your work and ventures. . . .” Deuteronomy 15:9-11The Message (MSG

First they came for the Coptic Christians but I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t Coptic.

Then they came for the Homosexual and stoned them to death, but I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t homosexual.

Then they sold the Kurdish women and children in to slavery but I wasn’t a 9 year old Kurd so I didn’t say anything.

Then they came for the Muslim who wasn’t Muslim enough and the Christian that wouldn’t convert but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t think it involved me and I didn’t think I could do anything anyway.

Eventually they will come for you, and there will be no one left to speak out for you.

Not to speak is to speak, not to stand is to stand. God will not hold us blameless.”– Glen Beck

Not to speak is to speak.

Not to stand is to stand.

Not to vote is to vote.

Not to act is to act.

Each of us can be a Samaritan in some way to our neighbors suffering violence whether it be at the hands of ISIS or angry protestors or the scalpel of an abortionist. Violence is done to the innocent. We can no longer look away as children and women are enslaved and trafficked to a customer base that includes the US of A. It doesn’t go away because we close our eyes. It remains and grows.

God’s people are the salt and light of the earth. Salt enhances flavor but also burns the wounds and destroys the soil. Light brings understanding but also exposes the acts done in darkness. We are the salt and light. We have a voice. We must raise the voice of the Samaritan and bind the wounds, bring relief, spread the message of love to counter the voices of hate. Note that the religious leaders avoided the confrontation. Let’s not turn away or go to the other side of the road. Let’s engage in this fight against evil. Let’s raise our voice…

Remember this?

“The Sound Of Silence”

Hello darkness my old friend.

I’ve come to talk with you again.

Because a vision softly creeping

Left its seeds while I was sleeping

And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within the sound of silence.

————————-

In restless dreams I walked alone

Narrow streets of cobblestone

‘neath the halo of a street lamp

I turned my collar to the cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light

That split the night and touched the sound of silence.

—————————-

And in the naked light I saw ten thousand people, maybe more.

People talking without speaking,

People hearing without listening.

People writing songs that voices never shared

No one dared, disturb the sound of silence

—————————–

“Fools,” said I, “you do not know,

Silence like a cancer grows.

Hear my words that I might teach you,

Take my arms that I might reach you.”

But my words like silent raindrops fell and echoed

In the wells of silence.

————————

And the people bowed and prayed

To the neon god they made

And the sign flashed out its warning in the words that it was forming.

Disclaimer: if ads are appearing anywhere on this page it is because they are placed there by WordPress not by me. I have read the information on ads and in order to be ad free now, Word Press charges a fee. I apologize for any inconvenience these ads may cause you and if they are inappropriate please message me. Thank you, gracie

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans

Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome.

Isaiah 63:11-64:1

Then he remembered the days of old, of Moses and his people. Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is he who put in the midst of them his Holy Spirit,

who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, who divided the waters before them to make for himself an everlasting name,

who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble.

Like livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So you led your people, to make for yourself a glorious name.

Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and beautiful habitation. Where are your zeal and your might? The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion are held back from me.

For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.

O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage.

Your holy people held possession for a little while; our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.

We have become like those over whom you have never ruled, like those who are not called by your name.

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—

Begin at

“…Adonai, why do you let us…” Complete Jewish Bible translation.

Other translations say

“…O LORD, why do you make us wander…”

When researching the ‘let’ and the ‘make’ it will be noted that what is found is a translation of ‘wander’ and ‘hardening’. The rest of that statement is,

“…so that we fear you not?…”

There is an apparent growing lack of fear of God and the result of that is a wandering and a hardening in our church families. Note that this could easily have been written recently of many of our churches today, yet it was written by Isaiah of ancient times.

“…We have become like those over whom you have never ruled, like those who are not called by your name….”

Mankind has not changed its ways even though it has the Word of God. Perhaps because there is a lack of genuine search for truth from the Scripture? Where is the fear of the Lord? We present a soft God, loving, caring, and forgiving; which He is through His mercy and the gift of redemption by way of Jesus Christ, but…also a God of wrath for those who carry His name but do not walk in His Word. This is often presented as the wrath of God directed at the non believer. Read Isaiah, read Ezekiel and others. Read the words of Jesus;

“…Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people….” -Jesus Luke 21:23

[Jhn 3:36 ESV] 36 “…Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him….”

this wrath is directed at the people who carry His name! This side of God is ignored at our peril for it leads to arrogance and the attempt to replace God with one of our own! For that He has always passed judgment. Beware! He did not spare the Israelites; he will not spare us today if we find this to be true in our assemblies. This does not negate salvation and eternity; it has an effect upon the quality of our life here. Many lack the abundant life; is it possible that this could be one cause? Let us not give up the search for the truth; let us not be satisfied with only what we have received in our one hour sessions one day a week. There is a hunger in the land for truth, for the Word of God rightly given. It is time to get on our knees and pray for our leadership; there is rampant arrogance from the top and God states

[Hos 4:6 ESV] 6 “…My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children….”

That spoke to the leadership; it came from the top down… Praying for our leaders in all places, government, church, family, work is needed. There is a dearth of prayer for it is evident in the lack of God-oriented, Bible-oriented, value-oriented leadership. Pray!

“…Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—…”

“…For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name….”

It is encouraging that this is being noted at the top of some of our churches:

“…I could not help but think that somewhere along the way we had missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable…” David Platt, pastor of Church at Brook Hills, from “Radical”

“…As I reread the Gospel passages, Jesus’ words are much harsher than I remember. There’s a tone in some of the things that he said that are really difficult to stomach, and he says things in a way that I would not have.

Because we in America read certain passages over and over to the neglect of others, we start to believe that Jesus had a friendly tone all the time. And that there isn’t any wrath or anger or judgment. When you read it all like you are reading it for the first time, you walk away going, “Wow, he was pretty hardcore.”

Here’s what I had to repent of: I had felt the need to soften a lot of Jesus’ statements, because in my arrogance I think, “Okay Jesus, I’m not going to say that like that. Trust me, people will like you more and be more willing to accept you if I say it like this.” Obviously I’ve never said that to God. But that’s the attitude I’ve taken, and it made me sick. Who in the heck do I think I am? To think that I can make God more palatable or attractive if I try and change the tone in which he says some things. I know people say, “Well it’s just cultural this or that.” That’s garbage. People back then had a much deeper reverence for God than we do. Especially the religious community. Yet it’s to those people whom he speaks so harshly.

What in the world would he say to us today? I don’t think it’d be a softer message. I had to come before God and say, “Lord I feel sick.” And I confessed to Mark [Beuving, who edited the book] and Preston [Sprinkle, the coauthor] as we were working on the book, “I confess to you guys, I confess to the church, I know I have backed away from certain things because of my arrogance. I thought I could attract more people to Jesus by hiding certain things about him.” I had to confess my arrogance….” Francis Chan, whose books Crazy Love and Forgotten God are still on bestseller lists, is a somewhat surprising addition to the pack with Erasing Hell. (Chan’s coauthor, Preston Sprinkle, is associate professor of biblical studies at Chan’s Eternity Bible College.) Christianity Today senior managing editor Mark Galli is the author of another of the response books, God Wins, and interviewed Chan, July 5, 2011

There are others who could confess the same…let us pray for our leadership that they stay true to the truth of the Word; that they begin a similar journey as these two have and we will see revival sweep this land. Our churches are esteemed ineffective when we see that the laws of the land are created contrary to God’s Word and when a town of 40,000 has 4,000 attending church. Pray!

Disclaimer: if ads are appearing anywhere on this page it is because they are placed there by WordPress not by me. I have read the information on ads and in order to be ad free now, Word Press charges a fee. I apologize for any inconvenience these ads may cause you and if they are inappropriate please message me. Thank you, gracie

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans

Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome.

1 Peter 2:5 and Malachi 2:1-17, 4:2

1Pe 2:5 you also as living stones are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Mal 2:1- And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not hear, and if you will not set it on your heart to give glory to My name, says Jehovah of Hosts, then I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. And indeed I have cursed it, because you do not set it on your heart. Behold, I am rebuking your seed; and I will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your appointed feasts. And one shall lift you up to it. And you shall know that I have sent this command to you, to be My covenant with Levi, says Jehovah of Hosts. My covenant with him was life and peace, and I gave them to him for fear; and he feared Me, and he is awed before My name. The Law of Truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and turned away many from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should guard knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of Hosts. But you have turned out of the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore I have also made you despised and low before all the people, just as you have not kept My ways but are lifting up faces in the law. Is there not one Father to us all? Has not one God created us? Why do we act deceitfully, each man with his brother, to profane the covenant of our fathers. Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the holy place of Jehovah, which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. Jehovah will cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does it; stirring and answering; or offering a food offering to Jehovah of Hosts. And this is a second thing you have done, covering the altar of Jehovah with tears, weeping, and groaning, yet not facing toward the food offering, and taking it with delight from your hand. Yet you say, Why? Because Jehovah has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your covenant wife. And did He not make you one? Yet the vestige of the Spirit is in him. And what of the one? He was seeking a godly seed. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously with the wife of your youth. Jehovah, the God of Israel, says He hates sending away; and to cover with violence on his garment, says Jehovah of Hosts. Then guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously. You have wearied Jehovah with your words. Yet you say, In what have we wearied Him? When you say, Every evildoer is good in the eyes of Jehovah, and He delights in them; or, Where is the God of justice?

Peter speaks to us. All believers entering into a new covenant with God under Christ are given the commission to be a holy priesthood. We have an awesome responsibility to be light in a dark world. We are covered by the blood of Christ as we stand before God. We are covered with His righteousness. In gratitude to Him for what we receive we then act in love toward God and fellow-man. In that place we have the commission to minister to; to serve; to share that which we have with those in need. Speaking not only in physical terms but also in spiritual terms; those around us have physical and spiritual needs that we can meet if we will stay alert to the Holy Spirit’s leading. What are the duties of a priest but to listen, assist, share the Word of God, advise in holy counsel, bring those seeking into the presence of God? And that priest bears additional responsibility to stand clean before God. What a responsibility! It should humble us all. That said, the question is… Are we found faithful?

In Malachi, God gives warning…do we heed it? Do we pick up our share of the responsibility of the church of Christ or do we leave it for another? Do we seek God’s face, in prayer and through scripture to hear his voice, know his word?

“… For the priest’s lips should guard knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of Hosts. …”

We do not do this alone, for that we are not capable. We do this through the work of the Holy Spirit within us, on us and through us. It is not our work but His; we are the willing vessels.

If we avoid our part in the work of the Kingdom of God we fall prey to the actions of those who cause the unbelieving world to hate us, to despise us, to call us on our hypocrisy.

“guard your spirit, and do not act treacherously….”

Mal 2:17 You have wearied Jehovah with your words. “

There are many who name the name of Christ who also weary not only God but us all with their words. Their words are not kind, gentle, exhibiting self-control, loving; they do not demonstrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit. And they grieve God and His people.

“…you have turned out of the way; you have caused many to stumble …” “… You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore I have also made you despised and low before all the people, just as you have not kept My ways…” “… Is there not one Father to us all? Has not one God created us? Why do we act deceitfully, each man with his brother, to profane the covenant of our fathers. …”

These are the words of God to His priesthood, to his people, to his church…do they fit us as a group today?, as individuals today? It is time to do some serious searching of our actions and words. It is time to immerse ourselves in the Word of God so we know when something is not right, so we can truthfully judge the words of others, not a judgment of passing sentence, but a judgment of knowing truth from lie, knowing that which has been distorted to please a perverse generation from what is true to God’s spoken Word. We are responsible to know the difference; knowing the difference gives us the ability to walk righteously before God and man; knowing the difference gives us the ability to share truth not lies, kindness not name-calling or scorn, gentleness not harshness…

“… you say, In what have we wearied Him? When you say, Every evildoer is good in the eyes of Jehovah, and He delights in them; or, Where is the God of justice? …”

Today do we hear evil called good and good called evil? What is the cause? Have we been faithful believers or do our actions justify some of what we hear? It is time to be light, not darkness. It is time to be the children of God. It is time to be found faithful.

“…But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, and healing will be on His wings. …”

Disclaimer: if ads are appearing anywhere on this page it is because they are placed there by WordPress not by me. I have read the information on ads and in order to be ad free now, Word Press charges a fee. I apologize for any inconvenience these ads may cause you and if they are inappropriate please message me. Thank you, gracie

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans

Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome.

Isaiah 17:1-9

An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.

The cities of Aroer are deserted;

they will be for flocks,

which will lie down, and none will make them afraid.

The fortress will disappear from Ephraim,

and the kingdom from Damascus;

and the remnant of Syria will be

like the glory of the children of Israel,

declares the LORD of hosts.

And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low,

and the fat of his flesh will grow lean.

And it shall be as when the reaper gathers standing grain

and his arm harvests the ears,

and as when one gleans the ears of grain

in the Valley of Rephaim.

Gleanings will be left in it,

as when an olive tree is beaten—

two or three berries

in the top of the highest bough,

four or five

on the branches of a fruit tree,

declares the LORD God of Israel.

In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel.

He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense. In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.

As the Lord brought judgment in times past for pride of self and arrogance do we think we shall escape the same? Only when we look upon the Holy One of Israel, our Lord Jesus Christ; we receive then the promise of redemption and salvation. We are reminded here to keep our eyes upon Christ,

“…man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel….”

not the work of our hands, not what we have made or done.

“… he will not look on what his own fingers have made, …”

Our hopes and provision rests in Him and Him alone. At times it may be that the difficulties we experience as we travel through life are our own doing, results of our pride which so easily gets in our way creating a hindrance to the work and will of God. And so we are at the effect of the shaping and fine tuning of our Lord who loves us and wants us to be fruitful. We are hindered in bearing fruit for the Lord if all we present is ourselves and what we have done. Let the works speak for themselves. God’s will be done in our lives. Be alert to the presence of pride in our lives – may we refocus on the Holy One and Him alone.

Disclaimer: if ads are appearing anywhere on this page it is because they are placed there by WordPress not by me. I have read the information on ads and in order to be ad free now, Word Press charges a fee. I apologize for any inconvenience these ads may cause you and if they are inappropriate please message me. Thank you, gracie

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans

Comments, thoughts and reflections welcome.

Isaiah 3:1-10

For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts

is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah

support and supply,

all support of bread,

and all support of water;

the mighty man and the soldier,

the judge and the prophet,

the diviner and the elder,

the captain of fifty

and the man of rank,

the counselor and the skillful magician

and the expert in charms.

And I will make boys their princes,

and infants shall rule over them.

And the people will oppress one another,

every one his fellow and

every one his neighbor;

the youth will be insolent to the elder,

and the despised to the honorable.

For a man will take hold of his brother

in the house of his father, saying:

“You have a cloak;

you shall be our leader,

and this heap of ruins

shall be under your rule”;

in that day he will speak out, saying:

“I will not be a healer;

in my house there is neither

bread nor cloak;

you shall not make me

leader of the people.”

For Jerusalem has stumbled,

and Judah has fallen,

because their speech

and their deeds

are against the LORD,

defying his glorious presence.

For the look on their faces bears witness against them;

they proclaim their sin like Sodom;

they do not hide it.

Woe to them!

For they have brought evil on themselves.

Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them,

for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.

A warning, a description of humanity that remains obstinate to this day is heard in these words. Look on the faces of those in the streets protesting and see a match for the description of Isaiah:

“For the look on their faces bears witness against them;

they proclaim their sin like Sodom;

they do not hide it.”

The bright side of this darkness is the statement of assurance for the genuine believer who stands like an upright light.

“Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them,

for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.”

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